Nissan softens stance, cancels policy diversification efforts

Influencer Robby Starbuck credits himself with persuading Nissan to adjust DEI policies

Nissan has decided to significantly reduce its diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI) efforts in its U.S. operations, becoming the latest in a long line of companies across the country to make similar changes. In August, Ford scaled back some of its DEI initiatives after trying to counteract growing pressure from “woke” individuals in corporate America, including online influencer Robbie Starbuck.

Starbucks said it had been in contact with Nissan ahead of the announcement, in a pattern similar to recent talks with Walmart Inc. and Caterpillar Inc., Bloomberg reported.

As a result, the Japanese brand recently notified local employees that it will cease participating in investigations and activities aimed at political activities by external organizations. One of these is the Human Rights Campaign’s annual survey, which assesses more than 1,300 companies’ equality practices for LGBTQ+ people. Ford will no longer be involved in the investigation.

Read: Why Ford is scaling back diversity and inclusion programs

Nissan will also review future event funding and cease financial support for American Pride events. Growth opportunities for employees, suppliers and other partners will also be based on merit, performance and results, meaning there will be no quotas in the hiring, promotion or selection of suppliers working with Nissan. The company has also pledged to waive mandatory DEI and LGBTQ+ training and only require training relevant to the brand’s core business.

The influential man said he was particularly proud of convincing Nissan to change its policy because he lives in Tennessee and Nissan is one of the state’s largest employers.

“Our campaign is now so effective that we’ve gotten the largest companies on Earth to change their policies without me even having to post a story outlining their woke policies,” Starbucks wrote on X. The company can clearly see America wants a return to normalcy. The era of awakening is dying before our eyes. The landscape of corporate America is rapidly shifting toward sanity and neutrality. We are the trend, no longer an outlier. “

As recently as 2023, Nissan Americas Chairman Jeremie Papin touted the benefits of the company’s DEI efforts, saying: “While other companies may shy away from DEI, starting with the first step of employee onboarding DEI has been front and center at Nissan since the beginning of time. “How quickly things change.